Irecently took my first spins on a WE-Cycle, one of the 100 bikes stationed strategically around town in 13 locations for Aspen’s new bike-sharing program.

The process of checking out the bike must be pretty idiot-proof, because I figured it out with little trouble.

The only snag was pulling it out of the rack — the bikes are designed not to come out unless you lift from the seat. So, lift from the seat. Also, getting it locked back in the dock requires some force — make sure you get the green light indicator on the kiosk before you walk away. You’ll start racking up extra fees if you don’t get it checked in.

I got a season ByPass, which works all summer and costs less than a tank of gas. The ByPass cuts down a bit on check-out time for a bike, which otherwise requires swiping a credit card and getting a pass code.

The bikes themselves are sturdy, heavy cruisers with three gears. I’ve found them comfortable for short trips. My mountain bike is out of commission at the moment, so I’ll be riding WE-Cycles a lot.

My rides have been out to the Aspen Institute and back, and I’ve found it a lot more convenient than planning around the cross-town shuttle bus or driving and worrying about parking. With stations two blocks from my office downtown and my home at Centennial, I’ve got no excuse to travel any other way around town.

Get your own:
WE-Cycles are located
at 13 kiosks in Aspen
Prices range from $7 for one day to $55 for the seasonwww.we-cycle.org[1]